Glue and dye in nylon-jute carpet dyeing

ABSTRACT

THIS INVENTION RELATES TO A NOVEL PROCESS OF PIECE DYEING A CARPET FABRIC COMPOSED OF JUTE AND SYNTHETIC FIBER, WITHOUT THE JUTE STAINING THE FABRIC, BY INCORPORATING WITHIN THE DYEBATH AN ANIMAL GLUE. FOR EXAMPLE, A CARPET FABRIC CONTAINING JUTE SCRIM AND NYLON CARPET FIBER CAN BE DYED AT A PH BELOW ABOUT 7.0 BY INCORPORATING FROM ABOUT 0.1 UP TO ABOUT 50 GMS./LITER OF AN ANIMAL GLUE IN THE DYEBATH-THE LATTER PREVENTS THE CARPET FIBER FROM BECOMING STAINED TOO HEAVILY WITH THE PECTINS IN THE JUTE.

United States Patent Ofice 3,682,582 Patented Aug. 8, 1972 3,682,582 GLUE AND DYE IN NYLON-JUTE CARPET DYEING Julian J. Hirshfeld, Bertie J. Reuben, and Egon H. Hacklander, Decatur, Ala., assignors to Monsanto Company, St. Louis, M0. N Drawing. Filed May 15, 1967, Ser. No. 638,640 Int. Cl. D06p /00 US. Cl. 8-18 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a novel process of piece dyeing a carpet fabric composed of jute and a synthetic fiber, without the jute staining the fabric, by incorporating within the dyebath an animal glue. For example, a carpet fabric containing jute scrim and nylon carpet fiber can be dyed at a pH below about 7.0 by incorporating from about 0.1 up to about 50 gms./liter of an animal glue in the dyebaththe latter prevents the carpet fiber from becoming stained too heavily with the pectins in the jute.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a process of the piece dyeing of a carpet fabric and more particularly to the piece dyeing of a carpet comprised of jute and synthetic carpet fiber. The object of this piece dyeing process is to prevent the jute from staining the carpet fiber during the piece dyeing thereof.

Just is the most popular material used as a primary carpet backing. Also, jute fiber is used to give body to a carpet fabric during the weaving or knitting thereof. Unfortunately, the jute contains a large percentage of soluble pectins which are leached out of the jute during the piece dyeing of a carpet and, as a result, stain the carpet fiber a tan or beige color. This problem is particularly acute when pH values of less than about 7 .0 are employed in the dyebath, as is the case in the dyeing with acid or disperse dyestufir's.

It has been discovered that the degree of staining or fiber discoloration due to the pectins can be markedly reduced by incorporating a small amount of animal glue in the dyebath. The mechanism which the animal glue performs is not fully understood but it is believed that the animal glue has a greater aflinity for the pectins than the carpet fiber and as a result cause the pectins to remain in solution until they are rinsed out of the carpet, after the dyeing or coloring of the carpet is completed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel process of piece dyeing a carpet comprised of jute and synthetic fiber wherein the jute is prevented from staining the fiber.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel process of piece dyeing a carpet comprised of jute and synthetic fiber at a pH below about 7.0 with acid or disperse dyestuffs wherein the jute is prevented from staining or adversely afiecting the lightfastness of the carpet fiber.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent as the invention is fully developed within the specification and claims.

These and other objects of this invention are accomplished by providing a process of piece dyeing a carpet comprised of jute and synthetic carpet fiber comprising piece dyeing the carpet in a dyebath comprised of from about 0.1 up to about 50 gms./liter of an animal glue in the dyebath. More preferably, the dyebath can contain from about 2.0 up to about 10 gms./liter of the animal glue.

The term carpet as used herein is meant to define a woven carpet, a tufted carpet or a knitted carpet containing jute (defined as a jute fiber, or a jute scrim or any jute fiber used to support or add body to a carpet) and synthetic fiber. Synthetic fiber is defined as a carpet fiber and can be a rayon fiber (a manufactured fiber composed of regenerated cellulose, as well as manufactured fibers composed of regenerated cellulose in which substituents have replaced not more than 15% of the hydrogens of the hydroxyl groups), acetate fiber (a manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is cellulose acetate; Where not less than 92% of the hydroxyl groups are acetylated, the term triacetate may be used as a generic description of the fiber), glass fiber (a manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is glass), acrylic fiber (a manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is any long-chain synthetic polymer composed of at least by weight of acrylonitrile units), modacrylic tfiber (a manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is any long-chain synthetic polymer composed of less than 85% but at least 35% by weight of acrylonitrile units, excluding rubber), nylon fiber (a manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is any long-chain synthetic polyamide having recurring amide groups (-CO- NH) as integral part of the polymer chain), olefin fiber (a manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is any long-chain synthetic polymer composed of at least about 85 by weight of ethylene, propylene, or other olefin units, except amorophous (noncrystalline) polyolefins qualifying as rubber), polyester fiber (a manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is any long-chain synthetic polymer composed of at least about 85% by weight of an ester of a dihydric alcohol and terephthalic acid or dimethylterephthalate), and spandex fiber (a manu-factured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is any long-chain synthetic polymer composed of at least about 85% by weight of segmented polyurethane).

The term animal glue as used herein defines a natural high molecular weight polymer being an organic colloid derived from collagen, which is a protein constituent of animal skins, connective tissues, and bones, principally of cattle origin. The molecular weight of this natural polymer varies from about 20,000 up to about 250,000. Animal glue is essentially composed of polyamides of certain alpha-amino acids. It is believed that the amino acids are present not in the free state but rather as residues which are joined together by the elimination of water to form long polypeptides chains. Examples of some of the amino acids present in animal glue are glycine, proline, alanine, hydroxyproline glutamic acid, arginine, aspartic acid, leucine, valine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, methionine, hydroxylysine, histidine, and tyrosine. Also it has been postulated that the animal glue molecules consist of single poylpeptide chains terminated at one end by an amino group and at the other end by a carboxyl group. Description of useful animal glues can be found in Irvin Skeist, Handbook of Adhesives, 114-125 (1962); and in vol. 7, Kirk &

Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 207-2 15 (1951).

Animal glue is generally an amber colored material which exhibits a crystal-like appearance in the dried ground form. Having no definite melting point, animal glue decomposes when heated to its charring temperature. At temperatures of 100150 C., the glue exhibits a decreased solubility and an increased viscosity. Like most proteins, animal glue absorbs water readily and forms an elastic gel which readily melts at about 40-50 C. to form a viscous solution having great adhesive properties. One of the characteristic properties of animal glue is its tendency to form reversible gels in aqueous solutions.

Such gels are characteristic of increasing in rigidity with lower temperatures and rising concentrations. Gelation'of animal glue solutions can be prevented or retarded by the addition of inorganic soluble salts, e.g. salts of the alkali earth metals. Also, certain organic substances such as urea, thiourea and phenyl exhibit this liquefying power.

Aqueous solutions of animal glue are quite stable over a wide range of pH values, e.g. 3.0-10.0, without appreciable decomposition. The peptide units within the polymer of animal glue are subject to hydrolysis at temperatures above about 65 C. and boiling of an aqueous solution of animal glue breaks down both the viscosity and jelly strength thereof and, in the presence of mineral acids or alkalies, such decomposition is almost instantaneous. An example of a useful animal glue is obtained by the hydrolysis of collagen:

1o2 14s sa 31+ 2 1o2 151 s9 31 wherein the chemical composition is:

The following examples are presented to illustrate specific working embodiments of the invention. Testing of the samples within the examples is done to determine the change in color caused by the jute staining the face of the carpet; This change is determined in some of the examples by measuring the photo reflectance before and after dyeing and then calculating the percent change in reflectance. The photo reflectance measurements are made control samples are blank by using a Photovolt reflectance meter (Model No. 610,

made by Photovolt Corp., New York, N.Y.) with a green tristimulus filter. The percent change in reflectance is determined by the formula:

Percent change in reflectance Original Reflectance Final Reflectance X 100 Original Reflectance wherein Original Reflectance=reflectance of the sample before dyeing Final Refiectance=reflectance of the sample after dyeing Nylon carpet samples containing fibers (obtained as a product of the polymerization of hexamethylene diamine and adipic acid) tufted into a jute scrim are blank dyed (i.e. immersed in a dyebath under standard dyeing conditions except the dyestufl is omitted from the bath). The

dyed by immersing them for 60 minutes at 212- F. in an aqueous dyebath containing 0.5% of a surfactant (alkylphenoxypoly (ethyleneoxy)- ethanol). The test samples are blank dyed by immersing them for 60 minutes at 212 F. in an aqueous dyebath containing 0.5% of a surfactant and 5.0 gms./liter of animal glue. The pH values of the above dyebaths are indicated in Table I. The. samples are removed from the dyebath, rinsed with tap water at 60 F. and are then dried at 200 F. Thereafter the percent change in reflectance of the samples is'deterrnined and is indicated in Table I: I

TABLEI Reflectance Percent pH of the change in Sample dyebath Original Final reflectance 1 ControL 10.5 70 66. 5 5 Test 10. 5 70 68:7 1. 9

2 Control---" 9.0 70 61.4 12.3 Test 9. 0 70 67. 0 4. 3

3 Control. 8.0 70 61. 3 12. 4 est 8. 0 70 65. 1 7. 0

4. Control- 7. 0 70 59. 4 15. 1 est 7. 0 70 65. 1 I 7 0 5 Control. 5. 5 70 58.1' 17. 0 est 5. 5 70 62.8 10. 3

6 Control. 4. 0 70 52. 3 25. 3 Test 4. 0 7,0 55. 0 21. 4

Example 2 Nylon carpet samples described in Example 1 are blank dyed to imitate acid dye conditions by the following procedures: (1) a control sample is immersed for 60 minutes for 212 F. in an aqueous dyebath containing 2.0% of ammonium sulfate, 3.0% of'a leveling agent (anionic modified sulfonation product) and 0.25% of a softening agent (defining (NaPO generically defined in US. Pat. Reissue 19,719); and (2) a test sample is blank dyed by immersing it for 60 minutes at 212 F. in an aqueous dyebath containing 2.0% of ammonium sulfate, 3.0% of a leveling agent, 0.25% of a softening agent and 5 gms./liter of animal glue. The pH values of the'dyebaths are indicated in Table II. The samples are removed from the dyebaths, rinsed with tap water at 60 F. and are then dried at 200 F. The percent change in. reflectance of the samples is determined and is indicated in Table II:

TABLE II I Reflectance pH of the Percent Sample dyebath Original Final change Control 7. 25 70 67. s 17. 4 Test 7.0 70 64.5 7.9

These above data indicate that the presence of animal glue in the dyebath significantly reduces the degree of jute staining, this degree being indicated by the percent chang in reflectance.

Example 3 1 color, the grading being based on a number system from 1 to 5 (1 indicating maximum color change and 5 indicating no color change). The commercial significance of the change in color values of the lightfastness grading is: 3 indicates a barely acceptable light stability, 3-4 indicates an acceptable value, 4 indicates a good light stability, 4-5 indicates a very good stability with virtually no change in color, and 5 indicates the best stability with no detectable color change. Table III indicates the results of the test (the pH of the dyebaths are indicated in the below table):

TABLE III Numerical grade Animal in color change pH of glue in (xenon-are Fadedyebath dyebatl} Ometer) altergms. Sample Start End liter) 20 hrs. 40 hrs.

(a) Control--- 6. 5 5. 6 3-4 3-4 (b) Test 6. 5.6 2 4-5 4-5 (c) Test 6.5 5.6 8 4 4 These above data indicate that the animal glue improves the lightfastness .of nylon carpet samples dyed at low pH ranges.

Example 4 Samples of nylon carpet described in Example 1 are dyed a yellow color by immersing them for 60 minutes at 212 F. in an aqueous dyebath containing 0.20% of Cl. Acid Yellow 19, 3.0% of either ammonium acetate (samples a and b) or acetic acid (samples c and d) and containing the below indicated amounts of animal glue. The samples are removed from the dyebath, washed with tap water at 6070 F. and are then dried at 180200 F. Thereafter, the dyed samples are exposed for 20 hours and 40 hours on the xenon-arc Fade-Ometer and are then visually graded for change in color, the basis of which is described in Example 3. Table IV contains These data indicate the animal glue improved the dyeing at pH values from 4.0-6.5.

Example 5 The procedure of Example 4 is repeated except C.I. Acid Blue 80 (CI. 61585) is substituted for the yellow dye. Table V indicates the results:

These above data indicate the animal glue improves the dyeing of carpet fabric with acid dyes.

The above examples are presented to specifically illustrate working embodiments of the invention and the invention is not assumed to be restricted thereby. However, many modifications of the dyebath, dyebath operating conditions, etc. will be obvious to those skilled in the art without departing from the concept taught by this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A process of piece dyeing a carpet comprised of nylon, said carpet having a jute scrim, said jute having soluble pectin therein comprising dyeing the carpet in a dyebath comprised of about 0.1 to about 50 grams/liter of an animal glue for at least minutes at a temperature of about 212 F., said dyebath having a pH of from about 4.0 to about 10.5 and rinsing the dyed carpet in water to remove the soluble pectins therefrom.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the dyebath contains an acid dye.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the dyebath is comprised of from about 2.0 up to about 10 gms./ liter of an animal glue.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 100,377 3/1870 Cochrane 117140 R 1,276,113 8/1918 Respess 117--140 R 139,706 6/ 1973 Crossley 8-62 1,788,084 1/1931 Curtis 818 1,788,989 1/1931 Drobile 8-l8 2,089,182 8/ 1937 Branegan 818 OTHER REFERENCES Hanlon, American Dyestuff Reporter, June 8, 1964, pp. 40-42, TP 890 A 512 and 8/54.

DONALD LEVY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

8-21 B; l17-l39.5 C 

